A Gold Star and a Gardenia
by Inix Cruz
Summary: Quinn Fabray helps out Santana to get the star that has fallen beyond the town she's been living in for eighteen years. Little does she know how a simple task can turn into a series of extraordinary events. Faberry. AU. Based on Stardust. Faberry. For Faberry Week Theme: Fairy Tales.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: This is just a dedication to Faberry Week. I just feel this fits for this week's theme. I would consider _Stardust_ to be a fairy tale, but yeah. Hope you like it. I'm sorry I haven't been writing. This will be in ongoing story, so I won't strictly follow the theme and that's why I'm not submitting it as an entry. I apologize for errors. Should I keep going with this? Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

A Gold Star and a Gardenia

Prologue

* * *

"Look, you got to help me, Quinn," Santana said, the sole of her high-heeled boots scraping the wooden floor as she paced back and forth.

"No," Quinn said, before sipping her tea quietly as she closed her eyes to intake the soothing smell of the bitter liquid.

"Please."

Quinn crossed her right leg over the other. She finally looked up at Santana after she placed the cup on the saucer. "No."

"And why the hell not? And since when do you drink tea?" Santana stopped right in front of the blonde just to throw her a grimace, her weight shifting to her right side.

"Because it's over the wall and you know no one is allowed to go beyond it," Quinn said, placing the tea by the table behind her and then went back to leaning against it. She crossed her arms and stared at the brunette. "Also it's another way to drown out all your yelling and screaming at me."

Santana balled her hands into fists before situating them on her hips. She rolled her eyes. "Oh, whatever. Look, it's for Brittany, I promised her-"

"Exactly. _You_ promised her, Santana." Quinn stood up and walked past her best friend, approaching the book shelf. "I am not responsible for your actions. And you try sneaking around Sue Sylvester."

"Oh, please. Brittany and I have sex all the time at that area." Santana turned around. "Like when I ate her out against the tree and—"

"Okay, just stop. Sometimes I just think you're just saying that just to make me uncomfortable." Quinn ran her fingertip over the blue spine before taking it out.

Santana smirked. "Well, it's just an example on how easy it'll be. Plus she taught us everything she knows."

Quinn finally faced Santana and tapped her nose with the book. "Exactly. So why don't you it?"

"Hah. No. You know I'm on her blacklist. But you're like… the poster child. You do no wrong in Sue's eyes."

"Well, that's for stealing breadsticks all the time for Brittany," Quinn said, her index finger playing with the worn out dog-eared pages of the partially opened book. "And I'm not perfect."

Santana let out a scoff. "Could have fooled me."

Quinn rolled her eyes at her best friend before wrapping her arms around the book against her chest. She sat back down and set the book on the table.

"Look." Santana closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, collecting herself for a bit. She needed to tread carefully this time. She was asking for a favor and this wasn't the time to have heated exchanges with the blonde.

Quinn hummed in response, her eyes scanning the first chapter of the book.

Santana sighed, a grim line forming her face as she finally looked up and proceeded to sit down beside Quinn, not looking at her. Her back against the edge of the table, Santana rested her elbows on the table and crossed her legs. "I'm sorry. I know I've been asking a lot of shit from you lately, but I just really like Brittany, okay? And this will mean a lot to her. She wants that star, Quinn. I don't want to let her down. Sue's been all over my ass lately and I can't even move without her doing that squint on me and fucking scream at me through the megaphone when she sees me even just at the border of the gate. And I don't trust anyone else here besides you and Britt-Britt."

Quinn propped her chin between her right thumb and index finger, the latter grazing her top lip. She stayed silent nonetheless. She was mildly surprised, though. Santana didn't usually throw out apologies as easily as she had done just now.

"...Alright, fine. I guess Brittany's going to be disappointed." Santana stood up and began walking towards the door. Santana's heels clacked against the surface once again, filling another interval of silence, and before Santana could turn the old knob, she could hear a book closing shut and a sound of resignation.

"You're whipped, you know that?"

"I know." Santana looked over her shoulder and placed the Babylon candle on the stack of books that didn't fit in the bookshelf.

And with that, Santana grabbed the hilt of her rapier that laid idly beside the door and went her way.


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Big thanks to **Not****TheJealousType **for editing my work. Enjoy!

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Chapter 1

* * *

Quinn Fabray had seen the falling star. It was unusual, to be honest. It hadn't happened like that. Or at least that was what the blue book assumed. She couldn't really say anything to that matter since she had never seen a falling star before in her life.

But then again, it hadn't fallen on its own, Quinn had perused. It had been more like it collided with something that came from miles away from their town. After that visit from Santana yesterday afternoon, the blue book had once again piqued her interest and had her rereading a short manuscript about Babylon candles.

She didn't label herself as bookish, only that she knew enough to get around town without being called a dumb blonde, unlike Brittany S. Pierce, who was one of her best friends. The books had always kept her company, along with the silence that occupied her quaint home. It was one of the few things that could keep her entertained, because by now, Quinn knew there wasn't anything exciting about Lima, Ohio, and really, she didn't know anything beyond it, except for her mother's warnings that clouded in her head ever since she had asked.

"_There are dangerous people out there, Quinnie. Strange people who'll try to manipulate you,"_ Judy once said to her when she was eight years old.

"_But you told me Daddy's from beyond the wall."_

"_And look where we ended up – just a few of his things and you, fatherless."_

Quinn's curiosity dissipated year after year, and what remained was a small fraction of questions as to why. The _real_ why – not Judy's hollow words. She was still curious though, and now Santana had finally given her an excuse to get out and quench her thirst for knowledge.

"Where are you going, Quinnie?"

Quinn's footsteps halted on the third step of the staircase. She glanced out the window across her - it was already dark out and Judy was still sober.

"Out for an errand," Quinn said after a beat, her left hand sliding against the wooden rail as she finally resumed going down the stairs, only this time more slowly. More careful.

"It's already dark out." Judy sipped her third glass of wine as she waited for Quinn's response. The older blonde gauged the sword, the messenger bag, and the usual sparring ensemble that consisted of leather boots, tights, and coat.

"I know."

"Is this about Sam Evans? Or… what was his name again? Noah Puckerman?"

Quinn rolled her eyes and sighed. "We're not going to talk about this again."

"But, Quinnie-"

"Mom," Quinn said, her jaw tightening. "I'm not you."

* * *

Artie Abrams pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose with his index finger. He had finally done it. All his calculations were correct.

"A falling star can grant any wish," Artie said, rolling himself to the window, just next to Mike. "Or so the legends say. There was supposedly a man who became gradually blind due to an incurable illness. Then unknowingly he wished on a fallen star and in that instant, his sight was restored."

Finn Hudson stood agape. Had he just seen what he had just seen?

Artie shrugged, looking at his legs. "But it's been centuries since a star has fallen on its own, so why not shoot one out of the sky?"

Finn finally closed his mouth and looked down at Artie. "Why hasn't anything happened yet?"

Artie pivoted his wheelchair – a contraption he had made on his own – and went to the table filled with papers that contained constellations, astronomical calculations and algorithms, and coordinates. It was next to the beam gun he painstakingly made for three years. It was about that resembled the size and façade of a cannon propped on a tripod - it was still facing the sky.

"It's more complicated than that. You see, the legend says that the star transforms into a human once it touches ground. The blind man was approached by the star. And touched him. The star granted the wish personally," Artie said. "Stars have always been known to be compassionate beings."

"Okay?" Finn faced Artie. "Why are you telling me all this? Why did you bring me all the way here to your observatory?"

"Remember when you said you owe me one when you shot yourself in the leg and I made you walk without a limp ever again?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to bring me that star."

* * *

"Hey, Quinn."

Well, speak of the devil. Quinn graced a smile.

"Hey, Sam."

"What're you up to?" Sam Evans asked, also throwing her back a boyish grin.

"Oh, nothing much. Just hanging around."

"Ah." Sam nodded his head and pursed his lips as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

Quinn raised an eyebrow. No impersonations? Nothing?

Breaking the awkward silence, Quinn clicked her tongue and batted her eyelashes. "Well then, I'll see you."

Sam could feel himself heating up. "Uh… yeah…"

Quinn then continued on the path due north and threw a small wave at Sam over her shoulder, who waved back at her. Boys were so easy.

"Wait!"

Quinn exhaled heavily. It wasn't that it was hard to keep appearances. No, Quinn Fabray was a master of that. She had just insulted her mom and when she met Sam seconds after, she had immediately regained her charming disposition that had Sam dissolving into mush. What irritated her was that guys in this town couldn't take a hint. She wasn't interested at all. Sam was a nice guy and he was the only one she could tolerate, but that didn't mean he could see through the manipulation.

"Hmm?" Quinn didn't look back. She knew Sam was already jogging his way to her side from the heavy footfalls on the pavement.

Sam slowed to a walk. "I overheard Santana talking to Brittany yesterday. About you going beyond the wall."

Quinn frowned, but kept her eyes forward. "I see."

He gulped. "You know it's forbidden, right?"

"I'm not stupid, Sam," Quinn said.

"I know, but you could get caught and you shouldn't be doing this for Santana." Sam put his hand on Quinn's left shoulder, ceasing both of them. "I'm sure Brittany will understand."

Quinn glared at the hand and then at him. "It's none of your business."

Sam quickly retreated his hand to his side. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Sam," Quinn said, her smile once again on her lips. "I know you're worried, but I promise I'll be back okay? Safe and sound. Just don't tell anyone about this."

Sam could practically hear the conviction in her voice. He knew he couldn't change Quinn's mind, and even more so couldn't convince her to let him come with, which he decided to not bring up - that was why he was going with Plan B. "Okay. Just be careful. You know I care about you. But before you go, can I at least give you this? I made it for you."

Sam shoved his hand into a pocket and then revealed a velvet box. Quinn's eyes widened in horror.

"Are you serious, right now? Please don't get down on one knee."

"Before you make any assumptions, this is just a promise ring. Not for marriage or anything like that," Sam said, opening the box. "It's something to remember me by."

"You're not dead, Sam."

Sam grinned. This was one of the times he felt proud to be the town blacksmith's son. "I just want you to know that I'm not like any guy out here. I would say 'out there', but, you know. I also embedded one of those special gems my father kept for special purposes to keep you safe."

Quinn chuckled as she examined the glimmering stone. Like he just had said, this wasn't for commitment, so it didn't seem wrong to accept it. Plus it would seem rude to turn down something that Sam had put so much effort into just for her.

"Thanks, Sam."

* * *

Perfect. Just perfect.

"Is anyone out there? Help?"

Rachel Berry grimaced as she tried to move her left leg, only managing to hiss in pain before finally giving up. With the foliage that surrounded the crater she created after she had crashed, she took in the surroundings. She had been stuck here for a day now and no one or nothing had come yet to rescue her.

Was this what humans call hunger? Was this what humans call thirst?

She laid flat on the rough terrain, sighing as she stared at the night sky.

Restless. Waiting. Shining.

* * *

"Finally."

The hooded figure opened the chest and fed on the remains of the heart he had hunted so long ago. Youth reappeared on his features.

It was time.


End file.
